The China Mail - Duckett and Pope turn tide for England against West Indies

England were 116-1 in their second innings at tea on the third day at Trent Bridge, a lead of 75 runs.

Duckett was 61 not out -- his second fifty of the match on his Nottinghamshire home ground -- with Pope, whose 121 was the cornerstone of England's first-innings 416, unbeaten on 48.

The pair had so far shared an undefeated stand of 108 in 20 overs after Zak Crawley, out for a duck in the first innings, was unluckily run out for three when Jayden Seales deflected a Duckett drive onto the bowler's end stumps.

England opened their second innings 41 runs behind after being frustrated by a rapid last-wicket stand of 71 between Joshua Da Silva (82 not out) and Shamar Joseph (33) that took the West Indies to 457.

It was the first time the West Indies had made 450 in a Test innings for nearly a decade.

But Pope underlined England's determination to wrestle back the momentum with three fours off successive Seales deliveries.

Left-hander Duckett was also in fine touch, lashing Seales through the covers and sweeping off-spinner Kevin Sinclair for three fours in a row on his way to a 55-ball 50.

Even so, the West Indies' performance was all the more creditable given they had been dismissed for just 121 and 136 during an innings and 114-run defeat by England at Lord's.

That left them 1-0 down in this three-match series.

- Da Silva rampage -

West Indies resumed on 351-5, 65 runs behind, after Kavem Hodge (120) and Alick Athanaze (82) shared a stand of 175 that revived them from 84-3.

England, in their first home Test since 2012 without retired duo James Anderson or Stuart Broad -- who between them took 1,308 wickets at this level -- struggled on a hot day on Friday.

But an overcast Saturday morning promised to aid England's pacemen, armed with the new ball, as Jason Holder (23 not out) and Da Silva (32 not out) looked to narrow the deficit.

Holder was out for 27, caught behind off Woakes, before the Warwickshire paceman dismissed Alzarri Joseph and Seales with successive deliveries before Shamar Joseph survived the hat-trick.

Da Silva completed an 87-ball 50 in spectacular style when he launched express fast bowler Mark Wood high over extra-cover for six.

And the wicketkeeper then took West Indies past 400 with another impressive six, an extravagant uppercut off Wood.

Runs came at both ends, Shamar Joseph pulling Gus Atkinson -- fresh from 12 wickets on debut at Lord's -- for six to level the scores.

Two balls later Atkinson again dropped short as Shamar Joseph hoisted him for another six that knocked tiles off the roof of the Larwood and Voce Tavern.

England captain Ben Stokes turned to Joe Root to break the stand but Da Silva clubbed the part-time spinner for three fours and a six off successive deliveries.

Wood eventually ended the run spree when Shamar Joseph chipped him to mid-on.

That left the Durham quick, who repeatedly topped speeds of 97 mph (156 kmh) with a modest return of 1-71 in 20 overs of toil, with Woakes, marking his 50th Test by taking 4-84 in 28 overs.

M.Chau--ThChM